Miss Dose the Doctors' Daughter

Happy Families

by Allan Ahlberg, Faith Jaques (Illustrator)

Dora Dose is not just a doctor’s daughter, she’s a double doctor’s daughter – her mum and dad are both doctors. Dora wishes she was a doctor too. But, when her parents wake up covered in spots, it looks as if her wish is going to come true – a little too soon … Based on the classic ‘Happy Families’ card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. ‘The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss’ Children’s Rights Workshop.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Allan Ahlberg was one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful authors of children's books - including the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born in Croydon in 1938, he was educated at Sunderland Technical College. Although he dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of twelve, his route to that goal was somewhat circuitous. Other jobs along the way included postman (not an especially jolly one, he recalls), gravedigger, plumber, and teacher.

Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny books for early readers!
Children enjoy the humour whether reading books themselves or having book read to them.

[Farhana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great little book that talks about a little girl getting inspirations from her parents who are both doctors. Dose is really intrigued by the work that her parents do and she really wants to do some practice on real patients herself. Being spontaneous how some kids can be, she sets up a surgery where she gets all the different patients to come and tell her their problems so that she can help them and potentially cure their needs. What Dose does discover is that the patients are not actually listening to her, why? Because they are her siblings who do not want to cooperate. This really frustrates Dose as she is not able to see real patients like her parents. She feels the need to go and explore more and to her surprise she notices something different about the people around her… They all have spots? But why Dose is thinking, this is the best time for Dose to practice the skills that she has observed her parents doing. Dose has now got to help clear all the spots her patients are covered with. Dose notices that there are many more patients that she can help; they are all lined up in her parent’s surgery. One by one Dose goes down to her parent’s surgery and tends all the patients that have come to be checked. All the patients appreciate Dose and say “Oh what a little doctor you are?” and are pleased with the service. This really pleases Dose as none of them ask if it is their turn to be the doctor next. Dose gives all her patients some medicine which actually does get rid of all the spots. After a few days the surgery is once again filled with patients. Everyone is carrying lovely gifts; a lab coat, a stethoscope and a thermometer which makes Dose really happy as she can now use them to become a real doctor like her parents.
I enjoyed reading this book and would suggest that it is aimed for upper KS1 children as it has visual aid through the lovely illustrations. It is also repetitive which makes the concept easy to grasp. This book can be used for teaching science as it is looking at the practice of doctors and also looking at cause and cure. It would be useful in terms of opening discussion in science, asking children to see why something might happen and if it does then how do you go about trying to cure it. This book would be very helpful in cross curricular teaching of PSHE as it delivers good interpersonal skills which would make caring for peers a key in all the discussion and ways of looking after each other.

[Brenda Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Dose and the Doctors' daughter is written by the acclaimed children's writer, Alan Ahlberg. It is a lovely story of a young girl whose parents are both doctors and she herself wants to be one too. However, she is not satisfied with her pretend patients as they keep running away or wanting to play the role of doctor themselves. Her luck is in when her family all get spots and so she can practice being a real doctor treating them and patients in the surgery, unbeknown to her, under her parents supervision. It's a very simple story, with an enjoyable storyline and the illustrations add to the enjoyment. I feel it would be suitable to read at home or for guided reading in the classroom for 7-8 year olds. It can provide support for other lessons involving studies of professions and assist in developing retrieval skills.

[Katy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Happy Families series are simply written yet interesting for early readers. As well as introducing a variety of occupations, there are diverse characters.
being a doctor did used to run in families. Older doctors have told me that when they were at medical school and were asked to raise a hand if one of their parents was a doctor, more than half the class put their hand up. These days intelligent young people who want to become doctors don't have a parent who can tell them how awful the job has become.